Method of forming steel power transfer housings



A. R. PERKINS 2,348,145

METHOD OF FORMING STEEL POWER TRANSFER HOUSINGS May 2, 1944.

Filed July 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hi t 7 A. R. PERKINS METHOD OFFORMING STEEL POWER TRANSFER HOUSINGS Filed July 23, 1941 2 Shts-Sheet 2Patented May 2, 1944 UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF FORMINGSTEEL POWER TRANSFER HOUSINGS 2 Claims.

An object of this invention is to provide a method of making a powertransfer housing which may be formed out of material sufficiently strongto withstand the torsional and other strains to which the housing may besubjected fgr providing a front drive power unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a power transfer housingwhich may be built up from welded steel and which is adapted to house aflexible driving connection between the transmission and the drive,shaft.

Afurther object of this invention is to provide a power transfer housingof this kind with an improved means for supporting the housing from thepower plant frame,

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved method offorming a power transfer housing whichincludes bending an elongated flatstrip of metal: to form the side and end walls, welding the ends of thestrip together, welding a flat front wall onto the formed strip, andremovablyattaching a rear wall onto the formed strip.

To the foregoin objects and to others which may hereinafter appear, theinvention consists of the novel construction, combination andarrangementof parts as will be more specifically referred to andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodimentof the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variationsand modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of theinvention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a detailtop plan of a power transfer housing constructedaccording to an embodimentofthis invention and which is adapted to beassociatedwith the front drive mechanism and, also the. power framestructure forming the subject matter of; mycopending applications, for afront drive mechanism and a power frame or chassis filed of even dateherewith,

Figure; 2 is a detail side elevation of the trans-- fer housing showingthe housing in applied position with parts broken away,

Figure, 3 is a detail rear elevation of the hous ing with the, rearplate removed,

FigureA is a, longitudinal section of the housing with, thedrivingmechanism removed therefrom,

Figure 5 is a detail rear elevation partly in section of' the housingstructure,

Figure 6 is, a section View taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5, and

Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 1-1 ofFigure 1.

Referring to the drawings the numeral l0 designates generally a frontdrive frame struc ture, the detail of which are set forth in mycopending application. The frame structure Ill includes a pair ofinwardly projecting brackets or supporting members, generally designatedas H. A power transfer housing structure generally designated as H isadapted to be secured as by fastening devices I3 to the bracket membersII. The housing structure I 2 is adapted to be formed out of sheet steelhaving parts thereof welded firmly together so that this housing will beable to withstand the torsional strains incident to the connection of adrive shaft M with a driven shaft 15, the latter shaft being offsetdownwardly and laterally from the drive shaft It. The housing [*2comprises a front wall I6 which has welded thereto a rearwardlyprojecting wall structure generally designated as H.

The wall structure I! includes a pair of side wall members I8 and 19, anarcuate top 20 and abottom wall 2 I. The top wall 20 is of arcuateconfiguration as shown in Figure 3 and the side wall [9 is also oflongitudinally arcuate configuration and is connected at its lower endwith the bottom wall 2| by means of an arcuate wall portion 22. The sidewall I9 is also of longitudinally arcuate configuration, merging at itsupper end in the top wall Zll and also merging at its lower end in alower side wall structure 23, which at its lower portion is formed withan arcuate wall portion 24 merging with the horizontal lower or bottomwall 2|. In practice, the wall structure 11 is formed from a singleelongated strip of sheet steel which is bent in the configuration shownin Figure 3 and the ends thereof are welded together as at 25 at thelower portion of the housing.

The side wall structure I! has welded to the rear portion thereof and tothe outer side thereof a plurality of spaced apart outwardly extendinglugs 26 which are formed with threaded openings 21. The. openings 21open through the rear ends of the lugs or blocks 26 and fasteningdevices 28 in the form of cap screws or the like are adapted I tothreadably engage in the openings 21, so as pended between the twospaced apart bracket members II by means of supporting members 32 and33. The supporting member 32 comprises a flat bar 34 having an obtuselydisposed inner end portion 35, which is adapted to be welded as at 36 tothe outer side of the side wall I8 adjacent the upper portion thereof.The bar 34 is also provided with an outer obtusely disposed extension31. A lower horizontally disposed bar 38 is adapted to have its outerend portion 39 disposed in face abutting relation to the horizontalextension 31 and welded thereto as at 40. The two extensions 31 and 39are provided with aligned openings M and 42 through which an attachingbolt 43 is adapted to engage for attaching the supporting member 32 onthe bracket II. The

bar 38 is provided at its inner end portion with w an outwardly disposedextension 44, which is adapted to be welded as at 45 to the outer sideof the side wall I8, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The supporting member 33 includes an elongated flat bar 46, which isformed at one end thereof with an arcuate inner end portion 4'! which iswelded as at 48 to the outer side of the arcuate top wall 2|]. The bar46 is also provided at its outer end portion with a horizontallydisposed extension 49 formed with an opening 50. A second supporting orbracing member constructed in the form of a flat bar 5| coacts with thebar 46 in supporting the adjacent side of the housing I2. The bar 5I isinclined downwardly as shown in Figure 5 and provided at its lower endwith an obtusely disposed extension 52 which is welded as at 53 to theouter side of the side wall I9. The upper end portion of the bar 5| isformed with a horizontally disposed extension 54, which confronts theextension 49 and is welded to the extension 49 as at 55. The extension54 is formed with an opening 56 aligning with the opening for receivingan attaching bolt 5'1. The supporting members 32 and 33 are soconstructed as to support the housing at an inclination to the verticalas viewed from the rear, so that the driven shaft I5 will be positionedlaterally from the vertical axis of the drive shaft I4.

The rear plate 29 is adapted to have removably secured thereto a pair ofupper and lower bearing caps generally designated as 58 and 59respectively. The bearing cap 58 comprises a plate-like body 66 which isadapted to be secured as by fastening devices 6| to the outer side ofthe rear wall or plate 29. A cylindrical bearing sleeve 62 is formedintegral with the body 68 and is of a diameter substantially smallerthan the diameter of the body and is adapted to removably engage throughan opening 63 formed in the rear wall 29 adjacent the upper portionthereof. The bearing sleeve 62 is adapted to have mounted therein theouter race of an anti-friction bearing structure, which supports therear end portion of the drive shaft I4 and which is shown in greaterdetail in my copending application for a front drive power unit. I

The lower bearing cap structure 59 comprises a plate-like body 64,'whichis adapted to be secured as by fastening devices65 to the rear wall 29adjacent the lower end portion thereof. The

body 64 has formed integral therewith a cylindrical bearing sleeve 66,which removably engages through an opening 61 formed in the rear wall 29coaxial with the axis of the driven shaft I 5. The sleeve 66 is adaptedto have mounted therein the outer race of an anti-friction bearing whichsupwith an opening 68 within which a bearing sleeve 69 is secured as bywelding 10. The bearing sleeve 69 is substantially longer than thethickness of the front wall I6 so that the sleeve 69 will project partlyforwardly from the front face of the wall I6 and will also projectinwardly or rearwardly from the front wall I6. The sleeve 69 is adaptedto have positioned therein the outer race of an anti-friction bearingwhich supports the forward portion of the drive shaft I5.

The front wall I6 adjacent the upper portion thereof and in a positioncoaxial with the bearing sleeve 62 has fixed thereto a cylindricalsleeve of bushing II through which the drive shaft I4 is adapted torotatably engage. The bushing or sleeve 'II is adapted to engage in anopening 12 formed in the rear wall I3 of a conventional transmissionhousing and constitutes one means for determining the correct positionof the housing I2 relative to the transmission housing structure I4.

The front wall I6 is fixedly secured to the rear wall I3 of thetransmission I4 by means of a plurality of countersunk bolts or screws15, which are threaded into the rear wall I4. In order to provide ameans whereby the angular position of the housing I2 may be properly setand so that the holes I6 in the wall I6 for the screws or bolts I5 mayalign with the threaded openings 1! in the wall 1.3, I have provided oneor more dowel pins I8, which may be threaded, as at I9, or otherwisefixedly secured to the front wall I6. The pin or dowel 18 projectsforwardly from the front wall I6 and engages in an opening Ell formed inthe transmission wall I3.

In mounting the housingstructure I2 onthe frame structure In the outerend portion of the supporting member 32 is adapted to rest on anapertured cushioning member 8| and a lower cushioning member 82 engagesbetween the head of the bolt 43 and the lower side of the bracket II.Preferably a small rubber sleeve 83 is inserted in the opening 84 formedin the bracket II and, if desired, the sleeve 83 may be formed as anintegral part of the cushioning washer 82 or the cushioning washer BI.The outer end portion of the supporting member 33 is adapted to rest ona cushioning washer 85 which engages on the upper side of the bracket II and a lower cushioning washer 86 is interposed between the under sideof the bracket II and the head of the bolt 51, A rubber sleeve similarto the sleeve 83 may also be positioned about the shank or the bolt 5'!where this bolt passes through the plate of the bracket I I. I

This transfer housing structure has been placed in actual use inconnection with a front drive mechanism and subjected to exceedinglyhard usage and has been found to be capable of withstanding any stressesto which it may be subjected. This is due in great part to the fact thatports therearend portion of the driven shaft 15. I

The front wall I6 of the housing I2 is formed the transfer housing isformed out of welded steel rather than cast steel or cast iron The driveshaft I4 has securedthereto a driving gear 81 and the driven shaft I5has secured thereto a driven gear 88. A flexible driving element 89- inthe form of a chain or the like is adapted to be What I claim is:

1. The method of forming a steel power transfer housing having asubstantially elliptical configuration, fiat front and rear walls, anendless wall, bolt lugs on the outer sides of the endless wall andoutwardly convergent hanger members adjacent the upper portion of theendless wall; said method including initially bending an elongated flatsteel strip into substantially elliptical form, welding the ends of thestrip together, positioning the front wall inside the bent strip withthe outer side of the front wall parallel with the forward edge of thebent strip, welding the inner and outer edges of the circumference ofsaid front wall to the bent strip, welding the bolt lugs to the outersides of the endless wall, welding the divergent ends of two pairs offlat strips to the outer sides of the endless wall, and finally weldingthe convergent ends of the pairs of strips together.

2. The method of forming a steel power transfer housing having asubstantially elliptical configuration, flat front and rear walls, anendless wall, bolt lugs on the outer sides of the endless wall andoutwardly convergent hanger members adjacent the upper portion of theendless wall; said method including initially bending an elongated flatsteel strip into substantially elliptical form, welding the ends of thestrip together, positioning the front wall inside the bent strip withthe outer side of the front wall parallel with the forward edge of thebent strip, welding the inner and. outer edges of the circumference ofsaid front wall to the bent strip, welding the bolt lugs to the outersides of the endless wall, welding the divergent ends of two pairs offlat strips to the outer sides of the endless wall, welding theconvergent ends of the pairs of strips together, and extending the outerends of the fiat strips outwardly with the extended ends of one pair ofstrips coplanar with the extended ends of the other pair of strips andsaid extended ends of said pairs of strips being horizontal andsupporting the housing at an angle to the vertical.

ARTHUR R. PERKINS.

